coy
adjective
artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish.
coy
American
[koi]
/ kɔɪ /
adjective
-
coyer,
comparative
-
coyest
superlative
-
artfully or affectedly shy or reserved; slyly hesitant; coquettish.
-
showing reluctance, especially when insincere or affected, to reveal one's plans or opinions, make a commitment, or take a stand.
The mayor was coy about his future political aspirations.
-
Archaic. disdainful; aloof.
-
Obsolete. quiet; reserved.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
Obsolete.
-
to quiet; soothe.
-
to pat; caress.
coy
1
British
/ kɔɪ /
adjective
-
(usually of a woman) affectedly demure, esp in a playful or provocative manner
-
shy; modest
-
evasive, esp in an annoying way
Coy.
2
British
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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coyishnessnoun
-
coynessnoun
-
overcoynessnoun
-
uncoynessnoun
-
coyishadjective
-
overcoyadjective
-
uncoyadjective
-
coylyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of coy
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French coi, quoy “calm,” Old French quei, from unattested Vulgar Latin quētus, for Latin quiētus quiet
Explanation
Take the adjective coy for a person who pretends to be shy but really isn't, or someone who could give a definite answer but won't. Coy behavior can be playful or just plain annoying. Originally meaning "quiet and shy," today someone who is coy pretends to be shy in a playful manner — often as a form of flirting. If a politician is coy about something, he or she only gives vague statements on an issue for fear of committing to a position or angering his or her constituency. Common to both of these senses is the fact that a person uses coyness to subtly manipulate his or her audience.
Vocabulary lists containing coy
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"To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell
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The Things They Carried
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The “Lanterns” showrunner remained coy when asked whether this lantern’s more ominous origins could lead to any unintended consequences for Stewart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
However, the Marvel star kept coy about where exactly he and Zendaya would be staying with her relatives: “Where we’ll be is a secret.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
With Chair Kevin Warsh playing coy, it’s mostly about jobs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The word “DeFiant” was a coy wink to this idea of decentralized currency, known as DeFi, the ostensible rationale for the new Trump–Witkoff platform.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
Gregg had once told Agent Burger that he knew something about the murders, though he remained coy, insisting that he couldn’t betray a confidence.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
About twelve of my draft were left behind on various duties when the Coy. went up-river in such a hurry.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
Towns under 5,000 one Coy. or nothing, 5,000-10,000 two Coys.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
No casualties from "A" Coy. for several days: so I hope its main troubles are over.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
Ultimately it was taken over by the Isle of Man Steampacket Coy., and after a few years discontinued.
From Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland by Joseph Tatlow
I am now second in command of a Coy. of respectable size.
From Letters from Mesopotamia in 1915 and January, 1916, from Robert Palmer, who was killed in the Battle of Um El Hannah, June 21, 1916, aged 27 years by Robert Stafford Arthur Palmer
One of the prominent members is Yuri Barsakov, whose coyer is the Izvestia News Agency.
From Time Magazine Archive
Sir: You have so frightened the South African government by your coyer story that they cannot make up their minds whether or not to let us read it.
From Time Magazine Archive
Unlike his coyer colleagues, Wilson was never afraid to turn his searchlight on himself.
From Time Magazine Archive
Let the winter mulch not only coyer the row, but reach a foot on either side.
From Success with Small Fruits by Edward Payson Roe
The storage reservoir, from which it draws Pioneer, Utah. its water, will coyer an area of 2000 acres, and contain about 15,000 million gallons of water.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3 "Apollodorus" to "Aral" by Various
But just as often, he can suggest Louella Parsons at her coyest: "Soon Sinatra will give her a white poodle which she calls 'Maf,' for she is forever teasing Sinatra about his connections."
From Time Magazine Archive
Ellen DeGeneres made the rounds of the hipper talk shows last week in what appeared to be the coyest exercise in trial ballooning since Colin Powell's book tour.
From Time Magazine Archive
To him, language is fundamentally the language of love: man wooing meaning, down to the coyest nuance, the most maidenly scruple.
From Time Magazine Archive
The following year, all the kiddie stars were lisping the lyrics of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and 1952 brought the coyest Christmas hit, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.
From Time Magazine Archive
I'm hot on the trail of a fullback that will make Ted Coy at his coyest look like the paralyzed inmate of an old man's home.
From T. Haviland Hicks Senior by J. Raymond Elderdice
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